Thanks for reading. Please review if you have the time! They make me happy:)

Ben

Chapter Five: Broken

You don't die from a broken heart, you only wish you did.

PRESENT:

Bree Hodge's dinner parties were the most famous and eagerly anticipated in all of Fairview. This may have had something to do with the fact that the hostess in question planned them so meticulously. Oh yes; from her impressive menu, right down to what the flavor the cubed ice would be in the bottom of her spirit glasses.

This particular party had been in the stages of preparation for over a fortnight now and tonight was the night that it all came together.

As she was completing the garnish for her prawn cocktail, she heard the familiar chime of hew own doorbell. She ceased fussing over the platter and went to greet her first guest.

Outside, Lynette Scavo and her Husband waited in the cold. The other reason Bree's parties were so looked forward was that all the couples attending, could for on evening, forget all about the tribulations of that week…

PAST: The Week Before

If she was honest, Gabrielle found her Mother a little patronizing. When she was younger, he glamorous role model would tell her quite plainly that she would never possess beauty of her standards. But, as she looked at her Mother's wrinkled face and drooping, dark eyelids. She realized that her Mother had not bargained for the wave of old age that would hit her eventually.

"What are you looking at?" he Mother asked.

Gabrielle pondered whether her Mother was aware that the hair on her upper lip was now getting quite distinguishable.

"Nothing, nothing."

"You're thinking about Carlos aren't you?"

"No." Gabrielle for once, was not lying to her over inquisitive Mother. However, now the question had been asked, she couldn't help but let her mind drift towards her ex-Husband.

"I know. I'm going to take you out, cheer you up. Let's go grab something to eat."

"No Mom, it's fine, really."

Her Mother placed a withered finger on her lips and dragged Gabrielle from the house by her wrist.

Edie Britt was no stranger to breaking into her neighbor's properties. Last year, she'd forced her way in to Bree's pantry to steal some pasta and whiskey. At Christmas, she'd picked the lock on Mike Delfino's garage to obtain a spanner and a wrench. And just last month, she'd busted Lynette's window to get at her hair curlers.

But, as Edie found herself breaking into Karen McCluskey's property late at night, she noticed a difference to her method. This time, she was retrieving something, which was her own.

Once she was in the house she snooped around for the photos that she so desperately needed back. When she'd questioned Mrs. McCluskey about it earlier that day, the old hag had denied ever seeing the "darn thing." Edie obviously knew that she was being deceived and had taken it upon herself to re-claim it.

She located it in the draw of the desk that was situated in Mcluskey's rear bedroom. Edie, after the initial sense of relief that this would no longer be exposed to Susan, began to leave. That was until she heard the door go, and Mrs. McCluskey started to climb the stairs…

Relaxing?

Was sitting in a room full of middle aged, sweaty men that had done nothing but stare at her impressive cleavage for the past half an hour meant to relax her? Or more appropriately…cheer her up!?

Sometimes, Gabrielle despaired of her only Parent. Rather than taking her mind off of Carlos, this was just driving it back to him.

It wasn't very often that Lynette made an effort to seduce her Husband. But tonight, she felt like she'd spice things up a bit. As she applied ample amounts of lipstick to her lips she couldn't help but think that she looked attractive. It wasn't often she thought this as to be fair, it wasn't that often that she wasn't covered in saliva, mud or food stains.

As seductively as she could possibly muster, she strode into the kitchen where Tom was devouring some three week old yoghurt. Okay, not the most arousing sight in the world but hey.

As his wife led him up the stairs to their bedroom, Tom took into account that his wife looked beautiful. As his wife pulled him down on top of her, Tom took into account the way her hair looked sexy down. As his wife began to unbutton her already open blouse, all he could think of was her as a child, and the pedophile forcing her to do things she didn't even know existed.

He couldn't touch her. He hated to admit it, but ever since Eliza had revealed to him the disturbing nature of Lynette's past, he couldn't bring himself to be with her.

Rolling over, he exhaled a deep sigh.

"Something wrong?" She asked, recognizing that something was bothering him.

He shook his head.

"Nothing. I'm just tired."

PRESENT:

As they waited for Bree to answer her door, Lynette tried to take her Husband's hand in hers. He flinched away from her.

"Lynette! Tom! Hi!" Bree grinned warmly at them both and gesticulated for them to enter.

Leading them through to the elaborately decorated dining room, Lynette noticed the absence of one particular person.

"No Susan?" she questioned.

"If anyone is going to mention Susan tonight, they may as well leave now" she spat.

Lynette took her place at the table and everyone began to eat their prawns nervously, fully aware of the fact Bree was watching them intently, as if trying to make sure none of them were even thinking about Susan Mayer.

"Um. Bree?" Gabrielle piped up.

"Yes?"

She looked at the expression on Bree's faced and decided not to divulge the fact she disliked prawns.

Susan had been lounging on her porch for several hours now wondering about the merriment going on over at Bree's. In the absence of her Daughter for the week, she had no one to confide in over her dilemma with her best friend. Should she apologize and give her the benefit of the doubt? No, because Susan didn't trust her. She was adamant that Bree would betray her for social status, and that hurt.

"Hey Susan. These were dropped off at mine this morning; someone must've made a mistake"

She drew her attention away from her misfortune for a second to find Mike Delfino handing her a few envelopes. She took them off of him and placed them beside her.

"Thanks Mike"

"No problem"

They stared at each other awkwardly, each unsure of a topic of conversation that wouldn't cause an argument between them. After deciding that Susan probably had better things to do anyway, Mike turned to leave.

"Hey, Mike?" she called after him.

"Yeah?"

"Come sit with me, I'm lonely"

Mike realized that he didn't have to find a topic of conversation to spend time with Susan. They could just, be.

A broken heart is a very dangerous thing.

It can drive wedges in to the strongest of marriages and weaken the strongest of people.

It can destroy a meaningful friendship.

And sometimes, it can manipulate a person into acting foolishly.

And then, on other occasions, we just need to find the person who can fix it.

tbc.